Thursday, January 31, 2008

I took this photo at South Archer Avenue near Chicago's Midway Airport on a hot summer afternon in August of 2007. A southbound Iowa, Chicago & Eastern freight train enroute to the Belt Railway of Chicago Clearing Yard, crosses the very busy South Archer Avenue. The lead diesel locomotive, is from affiliate railroad Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern. Archer Avenue sees numerous traffic jams here due to the many transfer trains traveling over the Belt Railway of Chicago trackage. Many motorists take West 47th Street north of here, because of an underpass viaduct bridge being handy.

I took this photo alongside North Kenton Avenue near West Kinzie Street on Chicago's westside. A northbound CP Rail transfer train is enroute to Cragin Junction via the Belt Railway of Chicago trackage. A light snow was falling as the daytime was coming to an end on this Winter evening. Notice the reflective markings on the side of the locomotive. My camera flash did that.

I took this photo from where West 63rd Street ends just west of South Archer Road / Illinois U.S Route # 171 in southwest suburban Summit Illinois. This is the very busy Indiana Harbor Belt railroad, and their Argo Yard near the Chicago City Limits.

I took this photo from the northbound platform of the Metra Forest Glen commuter flagstop depot on Chicago's far northwest side. A Chicago bound Amtrak Hiawatha train from Milwaukee Wisconsin, is seen racing through Chicago's Forest Glen neighborhood on a crisp Winter afternoon.

I took this photo on a lovely late Summer morning, in early September of 2007. An eastbound Metra commuter local enroute to Chicago Union Station, prepares to depart the Metra commuter rail station in Wood Dale Illinois. The railroad crossing in the background is Illinois U.S Route # 19 Irving Park Road.

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

I took this photo at the Hesston Steam Museum in northwest Indiana last year. Seen here inside one of the storage / shop buildings at the museum, is this late 1960's vintage replica 2 foot guage gasoline powered locomotive. This locomotive originally pulled trains around the perimeter of Chicago's Brookfield Zoo from May of 1967 to September of 1985. After 17 years in storage, the former Brookfield Zoo equipment was donated to the Hesston steam museum in the year of 2002. This locomotive is currently undergoing mechanical restoration.

I took this photo on My Honeymoon back in September of 2006. My Wife and I got married in June of 2006, but waited untill September to take our Honeymoon vacation. This electric streetcar served the city of Milwaukee Wisconsin from 1924, untill the end of streetcar service in the year of 1958. It has been restored, and can be ridden at the East troy Electric Railroad and Museum in East troy Wisconsin today.

I took this photo one lovely spring morning, in May of 2007. A southbound CSX auto rack train has recieved clearance from the dispatcher, and is now heading southbound over the Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad. The train is approaching the BNSF Railway ex A,T & S,F crosstracks at west suburban Mc Cook Illinois.

I took this photo on a sunny afternoon, in November of 1987. Seen here in the engine terminal alongside west 31st street, are diesel locomotives from Conrail and Burlington Northern. The blue Conrail engine toward the center of the photo, is an early 1960's era EMD model GP-30 roadswitcher. The Conrail EMD GP-30's were rolling out their final miles in revenue service and would soon be retired. The green and black Burlington Northern locomotive in the background, is a 1950's era EMD Model -SD -9 high hood roadswitcher. The Burlington Northern used these locomotives in heavy yard switching and transfer trains untill the 1995 merger that created todays BNSF Railway. Conrail was bought out in a merger with Norfolk Southern and CSX transportation in 1999.

I was heading northbound one afternoon on the Illinois U.S Route # I-90 Kennedy Expressway, and had became stuck in a traffic jam while in the express lanes. I am not sure what station this was...possibly west Addison Street. An inbound CTA Blue line train was spotted stopping at the station while I actually had My camera handy.

The train will proceed into downtown Chicago via the subway system, and then to west suburban Forest Park illinois. This trains inbound journey began at Chicago O'Hare international Airport.

A favorite local Chicago railfan haunt of mine in recent years past, was Brighton Junction. Brighton Junction was a unique and technologically outdated manual steam era crosstrack junction located near South Archer and western Avenues. This is how the old junction looked like in it's final months of service, before the semaphore signals and operators shack was replaced by automatic signals. The old plant was closed in early July of 2007.

The tall semaphore signals to the left were to be destined to a museum in the State of Virginia, while the smaller set seen just barely above the roof of the shanty, were to be destined for eventual display along with the shanty to the Illinois Railway Museum located in Union Illinois. Brighton Junction was a place where past met present.

I took this photo after work one afternoon, in july of 2007. Looking northeast from the South Cicero avenue bridge, are two Belt Railway of Chicago EMD roadswitchers pushing a large cut of covered hopper cars west into Clearing Yard.

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

I took this photo at the 1982 Berwyn Houby Day parade in west suburban Berwyn Illinois. Seen here traveling slowly westbound on Cermak road / aka West 22nd Street...is local Chicago television horror show host Rich Koz, who's television character back then was The Son Of Svengoolie.

Every Saturday afternoon back then, He would host a comedy horror movie TV show on Channel 32 WFLD TV in Chicago called "The Son of Svengoolie Show. He would show old horror movies like -Frankenstein, The Mummy -The Wolfmanas well as low budget Japanese classics like Godzilla and Gamara the Giant Turtle. My personal favorite part of the show is when He would spoof local current events or even the shows sponsors. Every bad joke He told was usually rewarded with some tossed Rubber Chickens.

I loved seeing and hearing the very multi talented musician Doug Graves perform, The intermission Wise Cracks that the staff anouncer Jim Barton would make on air, but My personal all time favorite....was the Skull puppet character Tombstone. He was very funny!

The original Svengoolie Show , aired on Channel 32 from 1972 to 1974 hosted by the original Svengoolie Jerry G. Bishop, who was a Ghoulish Hippy Horror Show host and comedian.

I spotted this collection of former Milwaukee Road rolling stock on display in Bensenville Illinois near Chicago's O'Hare International Airport. Out of view to the left, is a retired steam locomotive that has appeared numerous times at Eddie's Railfan Page -Chicago Gravel Company 0-6-0 # 18 built by Alco in 1922. Behind the old steam locomotive are these two Milwaukee Road remnants, a Hiawatha passenger car, and a bay window caboose. These are on display in Veterans Park, wich is located just east of the intersection of Main Street and Church Road in Bensenville Illinois.

I took this photo looking north through a chain link fence at South western Avenue and approximately West 33rd Street in Chicago.

A westbound Canadian National Railroad transfer train with former Grand Trunk Western locomotives, passes the abandoned Ash Street Tower, just south of the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal. This train is traveling over the former Illinois Central Iowa Division Mainline.

I took this photo one day in early September of 2007. An eastbound BNSF Railway 2 unit light engine movement has just left Clyde Yard in Cicero Illinois, and is proceeding east past the Metra Cicero commuter rail station on South cicero Avenue. The unit to the right, is an early 1960's vintage EMD model GP-30 roadswitcher from the BNSF predecessor railroad Atchinson, Topeka & Santa Fe . Still rolling around in pre 1995 A,T & S,F colors and markings albeit with BNSF painted on the cab side.

I took this photo one morning in early January of 2008. An eastbound Metra commuter local traveling over the Norfolk Southern -ex Wabash railroad mainline, is seen enroute to the next station stop at Wrightwood on Chicago's southwest side. Wrightwood station is located on the southside of Southwest Highway aka Columbus drive, just west of South Kedzie Avenue near West 79th street. This 3 way intersection was refered to by one of My cousins living in the nearby Ashburn neighborhood as "Spaghetti -O" Junction" when I was a kid growing up back in the 1960's.

I took this photo after work last year, on an early Spring day in late March of 2007. The snowy landscapes and deeep freeze conditions had just passed in Chicago, and soon the brown winter landscape would make way for green springtime scenery and milder temperatures. Seen here heading northbound at Hawthorne Junction on the Chicago City Limits near Cicero Illinois, is a Canadian Pacific intermodal transfer train traveling over the Belt Railway of Chicago. An even rarer sight these days, are cabooses on freight trains.

I took this photo on a quiet Sunday afternoon in near northwest suburban Elmwood Park Illinois. An eastbound CP Rail intermodal container train is seen passing the railroad crossing on 75th Avenue moving at moderate speed enroute to Cragin Junction, and to the Belt Railway of Chicago's Clearing Yard further south in Bedford Park Illinois. It was a quiet and partly cloudy afternoon, but the distant sounds of locomotive air horns out of the west brought Me trackside.

Monday, January 28, 2008

Hello everyone!welcome to Eddie's Railfan Page. I found this old photograph that was taken in January of 1989. This was the Huck Finn Doughnuts restaurant that stood on the northeast corner of South Archer and Kedzie Avenues, in Chicago's Brighton Park neighborhood. This coffee shop served fresh homemade doughnuts and pastries, and also had an inexpensive selection of Breakfast, Lunch and Dinnertime entrees on their menu. Many times I would stop here on cold winter days and have a hot cup of coffee while waiting for the CTA bus.Huck Finn Doughnuts had closed this location sometime within the last ten years, and it is now a Yale Auto Insurance Agency in this building.

I took this photo on a bright and sunny but bitterly cold January morning in early 2008. This is the busy Hawthorne Junction located near Cicero Illinois at the Chicago City Limits. The tracks in the foreground are the Canadian National ex Illinois Central -Iowa Division Mainline. The tracks behind the steel shed belong to the Belt Railway of Chicago. A large brick victorian era interlocking tower stood where the steel shed was untill the year of 1990. Most of the traffic through here are north and southbound transfer trains on the Belt Railway of Chicago.

I took this photo on Chicago's southwest side,one afternoon in March of 1985. An eastbound Union Pacific transfer train has just left the Belt Railway of Chicago's Clearing Yard in Bedford Park Illinois, and is now approaching the crosstracks at Hayford Junction. The flatcars behind the locomotive consist, are carrying tall loads of automobile frames. Notice the former Missouri Pacific blue diesel locomotive in the consisit. The Union Pacific bought out the Missouri Pacific in a 1982 merger, and for the first 8 years afterward...Mo Pac units were a regular site here at Hayford Junction and around Chicago period.

I took this rare, right time / right place photograph one afternoon in Melrose Park Illinois alongside Armitage Street. I was riding alongside the IHB branchline that is on the southside of Armitage Street, and just actually happened to be there when the very rarely seen IHB local was backing up slowly westbound toward Manheim Road -Illinois U.S Route # 12 / # 45. Out of view to the left is an Indiana Harbor Belt transfer caboose. This train crosses numerous industrial driveway railroad crossings with standard crossbuck signs mounted on wooden or steel beams. It is a slow moving constant stop and go operation, with one man flagging the crossing, and one man signaling the engineer via radio.

I took this photo one hot late summer day, in early September of 1989. From the left to the right can be seen -A 1920's era modernized combine coach from the Chicago, North Shore & Milwaukee Railroad in the 1950 Silverliner color scheme, two Chicago Transit Authority 1920's era rapid transit cars, and an interurban coach from the Chicago, Aurora & Elgin Railroad. All three of these sets of electric railway passenger equipment had several things in common. They all were equipped with overhead Trolley Poles, truck mounter 3rd rail shoes, and all had used the elevated rapid transit lines of the Chicago Rapid Transit Company, later CTA after November of 1947. The Chicago, North Shore & Milwaukee travelled between Chicago IL and Milwaukee WI , and the Chicago, Aurora & Elgin between Chicago and Wheaton Illinois with branches to Aurora and Elgin via the elevated rapid transit lines to and from downtown Chicago Illinois.

I was riding My bicycle one sunny weekend afternoon in Alsip Illinois, and had photographed this 3 unit EMD NW-2 diesel switcher powered transfer train, in late October of 1990. These locomotives have just cleared the West 127th Street underpass viaduct, and will soon be entering south suburban Blue Island Illinois with a heavy transfer train in tow.

I took this photo last year at the Hesston Steam Museum in northwest Indiana near the Michigan State line. This is a meter guage / U.S 2 foot track guage industrial steam locomotive that originally worked in Germany. This coal burning steam locomotive pulls tourist trains on the weekends at the museum. The locomotive and train are seen preparing to depart from the Hesston Junction open shelter station. This locomotive is an outside frame 0-8-0 type.

I took this photo on a cold and rainy afternoon in early April of 2007. The westbound Amtrak Illinois Zephyr regional passenger train has just stopped at the Metra / Amtrak station in downtown west suburban La Grange Ilinois, and will soon depart the station in a pouring early Springtime rain. The Colonial style rooftop steeple seen just above the locomotive, is from the La Grange Post Office on Hillgrove Avenue.

Friday, January 25, 2008

I took this photo in Chicago's Brighton Park neighborhood, in Febuary of 1986. This was the Solar camera and photography store that was located on South Kedzie Avenue and west 43rd Street -aka Pope John Paul 2nd Drive. I patronized this neighborhood camera shop throughout the 1980's, as all of My early railfan photographs seen here at Eddie's Railfan Page were developed here. This camera store served everyone from Wedding and Portrait photographers, as well as Railfan photographers and local Historians like Myself. The store was located on South Kedzie avenue, just one city block north of South Archer Avenue. It went out of business at some point during the 1990's, but the staff working there was one of the nicest group of people I have ever met yet.

I took this photo around sunset, in Febuary of 2007. Looking south from the Canadian National ex Illinois Central crosstracks at Hawthorne Junction, are seen two BNSF Railway diesel roadswitchers returning to the nearby BNSF Railway Clyde Yard in Cicero Illinois. I stood out in the open in single digit 8 above zero outside temperatures with a bitter biting wind blowing out of the west to capture this winter sunset photo near the Chicago City Limits.

I took this photo on Chicago's far southeast side, in the South Chicago neighborhood community. This is the recently constructed "New" high leval platform commuter rail station, on the Metra ex Illinois Central electric commuter line on East 71st Street. Metra has been making numerous improvements to the former Illinois Central electric lines in the past few years.

I took this photo one cold January morning, on Chicago's southwest side. A two unit Norfolk Southern intermodal transfer, is waiting for clearance to depart Landers Yard in Chicago's Wrightwood neighborhood. This view is looking north at the Norfolk Southern ex N&W /Wabash railroad embankment just south of Southwest Highway. Behind the locomotives, is the recently constructed Metra Wrightwood commuter rail station just west of South Kedzie Avenue.

I took this photo one January morning in 2008. Seen here, is the Metra Harlem Avenue commuter rail station on the BNSF Railway 3 track Chicago to Aurora Illinois Racetrack. The Christmas Holidays have ended, and the decorative Evergreen garland and seasonal decorations will soon be removed from the station. This station is located in west suburban Berwyn Illinois, just east of the border of Riverside Illinois.

I took this photo one bitterly cold morning, in January of 2008. A westbound Metra express commuter train with two locomotives on the head end, races past South Harlem Avenue enroute to Aurora Illinois. This is the very busy BNSF Railway / Metra 3 track Chicago to Aurora Illinois commuter Racetrack. This is a very busy Chicagoland mainline, with numerous freight trains, Metra commuter traffic and Amtrak.

I took this rare photo of a railroad extra or special movement, in January of 2007. We are looking west from South Lawndale Avenue near West 50th Street toward South Pulaski Road. This is the heavilly ballasted single track branchline owned by the Belt Railway of Chicago, and it services the BNSF Railway ex Atchinson, Topeka & Santa Fe Corwith Yard, and connects to the former Grand Trunk Western at the former Elsdon Yard site to proceed to points east. This one car special transfer movement, is more than likely enroute to the BRC's Clearing Yard. In the background to the right, is the Chicago Transit Authority's Pulaski Road station on the Orange line to Chicago's Midway Airport. Prior to December of 1988, this was the Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad "Stockyards' branch. Out of view behind the CTA embankment, is Curie High School.

I took this photo after work one evening, in March of 2007. An eastbound CSX double stack container train has just left the Belt Railway of Chicago Clearing Yard in Bedford Park Illinois, and is now proceeding eastbound at the Canadian National ex Grand Trunk Western crosstrack and interchange at Hayford Junction. Hayford Junction is located on Chicago's southwest side at West 75th Street and South Central Park Avenue in Chicago's Ashburn neighborhood.

Thursday, January 24, 2008

Hello everyone!Welcome aboard Eddie's Railfan Page.Part of the fun in operating a blog site like mine, is not always having to strictly use photos of My main subject matter.

This is a rare photograph I had taken in January of 1980, while I was attending nearby Curie High School just north of here at South Archer Avenue.

This was the Jewel Grand Bazaar food store on Chicago's southwest side near Midway Airport. This store opened for business during 1974, and was one of the first Large Jewel Food Stores in Chicago. Prior to this, the Jewel stores were small neighborhood affairs for the most part. This Jewel store was huge, and very much like a warehouse club type of a store in style. There were bins full of grocery items and large displays.

During the 1980's, this became an ordinary Jewel / Osco store due to a corporate change.

I took this photo inside one of the museum shop / storage buildings at the Hesston Steam Museum. This locomotive hauled steam powered 2 foot guage passenger trains at Chicago's Brookfield Zoo untill Labor Day Weekend in September of 1985. This 2-4-2 type turn of the century era replica, was built in the early 1970's at the Sandley Locomotive Works near the Wisconsin Dells, and served the Brookfield, Salt Creek & Western Railroad, that circled Chicago's Brookfield Zoo in a counter clockwise rotation.The Brookfield Zoo had steam train service from May of 1967 to September of 1985. In 2002, the equipment consisting of 3 locomotives, several open coaches, track and supplies were donated to the Hesston steam Museum. The little engine shown here is operable, but is only used on Father's Day , as the Hesston Steam Museum's railroad is very hilly with steep grades, and this little engine is light and underpowered. The two other Brookfield Zoo locomotives -one steam and one diesel switcher replica, are undergoing mechanical restoration.

The Hesston Steam Museum is located in northwest Indiana between Michigan City Indiana, and the nearby border town of New Buffalo Michigan. It is a fun family place inthe country.

I took this frozen off season view, at the Fox River Trolley Museum in South Elgin Illinois. Seen here looking west from the service road that leads to the museum shop building, is an eclectic collection of Rapid Transit equipment from the Chicago Transit Authority. The silver and red train to the left, is an experimantal 3 unit articulated lightweight train built in 1945 for CTA predesscor company Chicago Rapid Transit Company. To the right is a 1920's era rapid transit car also used by the same company, and retired from the CTA in the early 1970's. To the far right, is 6000 series protoype # 6101 and 6102 built in the early 1950's from components salvaged from scrapped CTA PCC Green Hornet electric streetcars. The 1945 St.Louis Car Company 3 unit articulated trains were retired in 1986 after serving many years on the Skokie Swift, wich is todays CTA Yellow Line. The # 6101 and # 6102 married pair 6000's were retired sometime during the 1990's.The red and gray wooden waiting shanty, originally was used by the Chicago, Aurora & Elgin electric interurban railroad. The C,A & E right of way is now the Illinois Prarie Path bicycle trail.

With a light dusting of snow on the ground, and a bitterly cold windchill blowing in out of the west, an eastbound BNSF Railway / UPS trailer on flat car intermodal train speeds over the Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad crosstracks at Mc Cook Junction. The BNSF mainline through here, was the former Atchinson, Topeka & Santa Fe prior to the 1995 merger that created todays BNSF Railway. Amtrak trains were diverted off of this busy freight line to the former Burlington Northern line north of here at La Grange Illinois. The Amtrak trains to Los Angeles California over the former A,T,& S, F mainline, rejoin the original Santa Fe mainline at Cameron Illinois just a few miles west of Galesburg Illinois. The former A,T & S, F through here is 100 % freight only now.

I took this photo one evening after work, in May of 2007. Parked just below the South Laramie Avenue overpass bridge alongside West 26th Street, are two BNSF Railway EMD roadswitchers waiting for clearance to proceed from the railroad dispatchers office. Another lovely Springtime day in Chicago will soon give way to nightfall. The action here never stops at this major Chicagoland railroad hub, it operates 24 Hours a day, 7 days a week in any weather condition. The trains keep moving through here.

I took this photo in early September of 2007. Located just south of and adjacent to Irving Park Road / Illinois U.S Route # 19 in northwest suburban Wood Dale Illinois, is this commuter rail station along the Canadian Pacific -ex Milwaukee Road mainline to Elgin Illinois. Untill approximately 1954, the Milwaukee Road utilized passenger steam locomotives and heavyweight 1920's era coaches in daily commuter service on this line. The heavyweight coaches continued in daily service, untill replaced by modern Bi Leval cab control gallery commuter cars in 1960. Wood Dale is a pleasant and upscale community located just west of Bensenville Illinois, and is in close proximity geograpically to Chicago's O'Hare International Airport, and convenient shopping.

I took this photo looking north from the West Roosevelt Road bridge. This is a rare behind the scenes view of terminal operations at a downtown Chicago commuter rail terminal. A set of RTA -pre Metra EMD F-40PH commuter passenger service diesel locomotives, are seen backing into the former La Salle Street Station in Chicago's Financial district downtown. This commuter rail station serves commuter trains on the former Rock Island Railroad commuter line from Chicago to Joliet Illinois. This was the last year of RTA , as the following year of 1984 would see the begining of Chicago's Metra commuter rail division. This railroad station also serviced passenger trains from the New York Central and Nickel Plate Railroad's during the 1960's. The original La Salle Street Station building was demolished during the mid 1970's.

I took this photo at the September 1993 Labor Day Steamshow Weekend, at the Hesston Steam Museum. This miniature 14 " guage Live Steam 4-6-4 streamlined Hudson type steam locomotive, had originally worked at the Kiddieland Amusement Park in Melrose Park Illinois. It was donated to the Hesston Steam Museum in 1982, and occasionally powers passenger trains on the museum's 14" guage miniature railroad. The real New York Central Railroad had simular streamlined 4-6-4 Hudson type steam locomotives during the 1930's and 1940's operating between Chicago and New York City, on the 20th Century Limited train. Just like the prototype streamlined NYC 4-6-4's...This one is fast, powerfull, and also burns coal too.

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

I spotted the returning CSX Transportation West 16th Street local, heading to the Belt Railway of Chicago interchange at the Chicago City Limits.The train had just crossed South Cicero Avenue at West 16th Street, and will soon cross the border into Chicago Illinois after servicing the industries in West suburban Cicero Illinois.

I spotted these two Belt Railway of Chicago Alco ( American Locomotive Company) model C-425 Century Series diesel roadswitchers idling alongside the Belt Railway of Chicago's huge Clearing Yard in southwest suburban Bedford Park Illinois, on a cloudy and cold day in early March of 1985. This view is looking west around South Cicero Avenue and West 70th Street. Out of view to the left, was the site of Irv's Golf Range wich is now the site of a large Walmart store in 2008.

I spotted this unfortunate victim on the service tracks, at the Union Pacific M-19A Diesel Shop in Chicago Illinois. This unit appears to have suffered some superficial Fire Damage at some point in time, but appears to be operable for now.Hopefully a fresh coat of paint will be in this locomotives near future.

I took this photo one morning in January of 2008. This is the litle Flagstop depot that serves Monday to Friday Metra Heritage Corridor Chicago to Joliet Illinois commuter trains, and short Amtrak regional trains to Springfield Illinois and St. Louis Missouri. In the background is a southbound Canadian National transfer train waiting for clearance at nearby Argo Junction just south of here.

I took this photo one very cold January morning, in west suburban Berwyn Illinois. This is the very busy BNSF Railway ex Burlington Northern Chicago to Aurora 3 track mainline refered to as the Racetrack. This scene is looking northwest at the railroad crossing on South Harlem Avenue / Illinois U.S Route # 43 just east of Riverside Illinois. This is an example of just how busy this mainline can be during the morning rush hour. There are many express commuter trains whipping through here at high speed, as well as a handfull of stop and go local trains.

I took this photo on a very bitter and blustery cold winter morning, in early January of 2008.This view is looking west toward the Canadian National and Belt Railway of Chicago crosstracks at Hawthorne Junction at the Chicago City Limits. The hill to the right, is the site of the abandoned Bel Air Drive In Movie Theatre, wich is currently being redeveloped into a Super Walmart.